The 1890 Mule

Each shoe is handcrafted on a bespoke last without the use of machinery. Constructed using the traditional Channel method, the forepart is secured with stag glue—an adhesive made from reindeer hide—and stitched from the inside out, with the seam hidden within the leather’s channel. The leather is sourced from a small farm in the Bernese Alps, where cows are slow-grazed following 17th-century practices, resulting in an unusually strong yet supple hide. The heel is carved by hand from Michigan birch, wrapped in oil-dyed kangaroo leather, and stitched using hand-twisted flax thread preserved with a mixture of beeswax, pitch, and pine tar—a waterproofing recipe once used by sailors to protect their ropes and ships.

Made to order in women’s US sizes 6–9, each pair takes three months to complete. A mock-up shoe is sent prior to final production to ensure fit.